'Jesus is made present in our lives through acts of loving kindness'

Saturday

Dec 22, 2012 at 12:01 AM

Dear Friends in Christ,

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we enter the Christmas season, in accordance with Catholic practice and tradition, we gather in parishes and around crèches to thank the Lord for all his blessings, which we receive in Christ, and to pray that He will continue to bestow upon us His choicest gifts, especially that of the Holy Spirit, through whom He guides, comforts, and protects us.

Just as the Son of God became man for the sake of our salvation two thousand years ago, so does He humble Himself at this time of year and enters the world again as a little baby. He is with us not only during this short season, but He also remains to accompany us through this particular moment of history in which we live.

We are the People of God, the Body of Christ. We have been baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus; we are nourished by the Word of God and by the Body and Blood of Christ. We celebrate the birth of our Savior in the Christmas liturgy, which reminds every Christian of our Lord's commandment to love God with all our mind, heart, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

This celebration reminds all Christians — priests and people, the young and old, the rich and poor, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, every adult and even the smallest child — that we are the light of the world. We need to make this light visible to the world around us — as visible as the lights with which we decorate our homes and our Christmas trees. We illuminate not only the interior of our houses, but outside as well — our yards, our streets, and our neighborhoods. In the same way, we need to make the light of Christ visible!

It is up to us to pray and invite the Baby Jesus to be born into our hearts again this year and to make Him present in our lives through our acts of loving kindness to our brothers and sisters, most of all to those who are less fortunate than ourselves, and especially during this time of persistent economic hardship.

Those with whom we live, work, and go to school should recognize the innocence of the Christ Child, the hospitality of the Holy Family, and the tenderness of God in our actions. The people around us and the society in which we live should see in us evidence of the Incarnation. In our joy, in our hope, and in our good works of charity and peace, people should be able to draw the conclusion that truly God has been made flesh and dwells among us.

With prayerful wishes that the blessings and love of the Christ Child fill your hearts and your homes this Christmas, I remain